Aston Villa have officially completed the signing of Senegal international Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea in a deal valued at a club-record £65 million ($87 million). The 25-year-old forward has committed to a five-year contract, marking a reunion with manager Unai Emery, with whom he previously worked at Villarreal. Emery confirmed the impending arrival during his Friday press conference ahead of Monday’s fixture against Arsenal.
Jackson arrives at Villa Park following a loan spell at Bayern Munich last season. He had been training away from the main Chelsea squad after being informed he was not part of the tactical plans of manager Xabi Alonso. His tenure at Stamford Bridge, which began in 2023, concludes with 30 goals in 81 appearances across all competitions, including contributions to the club’s UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup victories. Notably, he had previously been sidelined by former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca during the prior campaign.
The acquisition serves as a direct replacement for Ollie Watkins, whose own £50 million transfer to the Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal is currently being finalized. Watkins, the club’s leading Premier League goalscorer, reportedly declined to participate in last weekend’s 4-0 loss to Brighton to facilitate his move. His departure continues a trend of exits at Villa Park, following the recent departures of Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and Lucas Digne. The report also notes that emery had revealed the 25-year-old was set to sign when he spoke to the media in a press conference on Friday to preview Monday’s game against Arsenal.
